Scammers Impersonating Cops In Fredericksburg, Officials Say

Fredericksburg VA

02 February, 2022

2:56 PM

Description

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — A police impersonator is attempting to scam residents in the City of Fredericksburg, the police department announced on Wednesday. Authorities are warning residents to be weary of anyone requesting money over the phone or online. On Wednesday morning, the Fredericksburg Police Department said they received a pair of reports from citizens about scam attempts. In each of the instances, the scammer posed as Fredericksburg police employee and asked for money in the form of gift cards, authorities said. In one report, a resident said they received an email from someone purporting to be police chief Brian Layton. In the email, the sender asked for donations in the form of gift cards. In the second report, the resident said they received a phone call. The caller claimed to be a captain with the police department, and said that the resident failed to appear in court, and they would need to make a payment to avoid being arrested. Again, the scammer requested payment in the form of gift cards, police said. "Remember, the Fredericksburg Police Department will NEVER solicit payment over the phone or ask for gift card donations," officials said in a Facebook post published on Wednesday. Anyone who receives a similar call can report it to the police department at 540-373-3122.